Philae - Jewel of the Nile
Inner Shrine
Coffin Texts: Spell 148:
"I am Isis, one more spirit-like and august than the gods". 
Granite Naos from Philae, at the Louvren. (authorīs photo) In the innermost room of the temple the statue of the deity was locked within a shrine - a cupboard made of granite or wood called naos. The lock was broken and the doors were opened by the officiating priest at morning, midday and evening, when rituals of offerings and worship were performed. At festival days, the cult statue was carried out in procession from the temple, and said to go 'visiting' other temples or temporarily erected altars at so called 'way stations' along the processional path. At Philae, the statue of Isis was carried once a week on board a bargue to make the short crossing to the island of Bigeh to visit the tomb of her spouse Osiris. Exact dates varied in ancient calendar as it was calculated by the rising of the Nile which varied from year to year. This calendar is composed of several different sources and the purpose is to show the variety and extent of festival days just for Isis. |
| Ancient Date | Modern Date | Ceremony/Ritual |
|
end of July |
4th of the Epagomenal Days | the Birthday of Aset |
|
end of July | 1st Tehuti | Marriage of Aset and Wesir |
|
begin - mid August | 25th Tehuti | Feast of Lights of Aset (Isis) |
|
begin - mid August | 26th Tehuti | Aset gains the Horns of Het-Hert (Hathor) |
|
end of August | 13th Paopi | Day of Satisfying the Hearts of the Ennead |
|
end of September | 8th Hethara | Day of Going Forth of Aset |
begin of October | 17th Hethara | Lamentations of Aset and Nebet-Het for Wasir |
|
begin - mid October | 24th Hethara | Day of Going Forth of Aset |
|
end of October | 13th Khoiak | Day of Going Forth of Het-Hert and the Ennead |
|
begin-mid November | 27th Khoiak | Aset seeks the body of Wasir |
|
mid November | 28th Khoiak | Aset grieves the loss of Wasir |
|
mid November | 29th Khoiak | Aset rejoices as she finds Wasir |
|
mid November | 30th Khoiak | The Ennead feast in the House of Ra, Heru and Wasir |
|
end December | 6th Mechir | Winter Solstice - Feast of Aset |
|
end December | 10th Mechir | Birth of Heru (Horus), the child of Aset, Day of elevating the Great Netjer in all her names and manifestations. |
|
begin January | 23rd Mechir | Festival of Aset |
|
begin January | 24th Mechir | Festival of Aset |
|
begin-mid January | 26th Mechir | Aset sees the face of Wesir, Min Goes Forth to Gebtu |
|
end March | 8th Pachons | Festival of Aset |
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